MINISTER'S ACID REPLY TO CARPENTERS' SECRETARY

Chronicle (Levin), 2 April 1949, Page 6

MINISTER'S ACID REPLY TO CARPENTERS' SECRETARY

• ** A WELLINGTON, April L , "The appropriate comment upon , TV.fr/ Stanley's gratuitous advice to mfe j'n connection with the prospective appli,. cation of a large group of Auckland carpenters for registration ojr a union under the Industrial ConciJ^ation and Arbitration Aet is that Mr. Stanl'ey is probably the last person in t-h'e country who should attempt to advise' anyone on that subject," said the Minister of Labour (Mr. McLagau) tonight. "It ill becomes one who. has' defaulted in his obligations under i(£he Act to pffer advice concerning anothcY person 's duties under the Act. "It is idle fbr^Ir. Stanley to talk of, majority dUcisiorfs when he has plungpd the Auckland carpenters into their pre . sent regrettable position without taking a ballot to ascertain the wishes of the majority on the matter, and has persistently opposed and denied the right of trade unionists to have a ballot on questions of such vital importance to them. "On this very question of a majority opinion of Auckland carpenters I would say that before anyone has a right to talk of majority or minority a secret ballot of Auckland carpenters should be taken to ascertain whether the majority approve of Mr. Stanley's goslow adventure. Hundreds of Auck-: land carpenters have asked Mr. Stanley for such a ballot, but so far they have asked in vain.

Stanley's to have a majority opinion behind him in Kis go-slow tacties I invite him to put his elaim to the democratic and unfaiiing test of -a secret ballot afid to prevent any possible lack of confidenee in any quarter. As to the genuineness of the ballot I .can offer him the services of the Department of Labour in a supervisory capacity during the taking of the ballot.v" The following telegram was addressed by Mr. McLagan (Minister of Labour) to Mr. Grant,. secretary of the Trades Council, , "Christchurch, in response to the Canterbpry Trades Coun cil's resolution concerning £he Auckland carpenters r "I- am surprised that your Trades Council should think it possible that a* nnion which has stated that its aim is" to destroy arbitration and w*hich has refused to aecept its obligations under the Industrial . Conciliation and Arbitration 'Act can be allowed to benelit from the privileges afforded by the Act. Those privileges are for unions which honour their undertaking and not for defaulters. "